The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-22
CENTRAL'S NEW LINES.
THE GREAT SYSTEM RAPIDLY EX-
TENDING WESTWARD.

The Work on New Branches in Georgia
and Alabama Three New Roads II
Southeast Alabama-The CarroIlton,
Decatur Branch and the Goodwater
Extension-New Steel Rails and Ten
Ton Engines-The Opening Up of a
New Country.
The Central railroad is pushing work on
It's western extensions and General Manager
Belknap gives most favorable account of
its progress. The contract for building the
Blakely extension from Blakely to Columbia
has been let and work will be begun next
week. The extension from Clayton to Ozark
has been surveyed, but the engineers have
not yet worked up the details. 1t viii not
be long, however, before active building
will be begun there. A third extension,
from Troy, Ala, TO Elba, is now occupying
q corps of engineers, who are laying out the
route. These three lines viii open up South
eastern Alabama, which is now without a
railroad outlet.
AN UNDEvELoPED SECTION.
The country is rich and fertile, and is very
well settled no, considering the disadvant-
ages under which the settlers labor The
opening of it by the entrance of these three
lines, which will connect it directly with a
large port and thereby give it access to the
markets Of the world will of course induce
settlers to enter and develop its great
resources From these roads the COMPANY
expects to get larger amount of business
than would be supposed by one who has not
examined the country, but number of
reports concerning it have been received
from reliable persons who have made a
thorough investigation, and Mr.. Bell1nap
thinks that within eighteen months those
little lines viii be doing large business
Another piece of work that is under con-
tract is the building of direct line from
Ellaville to Americas. At present the
road runs from Ellaville to Anderson, thence
to Americas, making V, but that will be
cut out and Americas will be given more
direct communication through Buena Vista
THE NORTHWEST CONNECTION.
Next week the rails will be sent out to be
laid on tine southern division of the branch
that is to run from Carrollton to Decatur
or such other point as may be selected This
line is to connect with one to be built by the
Illinois Central, and thus direct connec-
ton with the Northwest will be had The
bed is nearly ready for the rails as
fer as the Tallapoosa river. just north of
the Tallapoosa the work will be DELAYED for
time. There are two tunnels to be cut and
bridge TO be built, but while that is being
done the road will be building northward so
that the work viii be completed by the
time the line is ready to be opened.
INVADING THE MINERAL BELT.
The line from Columbus to Goodwater on
The Birmingham branch is to be equipped
with heavy steel rails, and the light ones
now in use will be used in building the three
Southern Alabama branches. The reason
that the heavier rails win be substitu-
ted is that when the line is COM
pleted through to Birmingham there
will be a good deal of mineral and coal
hauled. To do that the company has ordered
ten consolidated engines, which weigh, with
their tenders, 1S5, 600 pounds each This
road win make Savannah the coal and min
eral port Of the South Atlantic coast.
The output Of the mineral and coal sec
tions of Alabama has increased enormously.
Already it is far in excess of the consump-
ton, and it must get out to market, for it
cannot lie idly there, and the railroad is just
what is needed to relieve the miners of their
surplus product and enable them to realize
on their work. This, of course, will result
in more extensive development of the
region and an enormous increase in the
business of the Central railroad and the port
of Savannah.
AN EAST AND WEST SYSTEM
Mr. Belknap said that the Central is an
east and west system. It's growth is wester-
ly. and it is thoroughly covering the region
through which it runs. As one line shoots
out little further west than any preced-
ing one has gone, branches hand extensions
are built to I'LL in the territory behind
that point, and thus the whole Southeast is
being covered with net work of the lines
OF this great Southern system. Already che
line has reached Selma, Ala, and now the
extensions spoken of above are being built,
stretching out like fingers, reaching in every
direction and opening country hitherto COM
paEatively undeveloped.